We have a winner! Not in this football-based big reveal. In the other one.

Congratulations Riyad Mahrez!! The Leicester City and Algeria attacker has been crowned the BBC African Footballer of the Year 2016.

Fans from across the world voted for him ahead of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Andre Ayew, Sadio Mane and Yaya Toure.

Winger Mahrez, 25, told BBC Sport: "It means a lot, it's something big for African players so I am very happy, I am very proud."

Image source, #bbcfootball

Callu, Belfast: Ronaldo will win but should be Messi every year. By far the GOAT if you watch him week in week out. 

Image source, #bbcfootball

When you have the best players in the world to choose from, how do you pick the best XI?

Surely Lionel Messi, Neymar, Luis Suarez, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale can't all play up front? Or can they?

Or maybe you are feeling patriotic. Could England and Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy force his way into your line-up?

Use our team selector to pick your starting XI from the 30 players on this year's Ballon d'Or shortlist - then share it with your friends.

Only three defenders were named on the shortlist this year, so we expect some attacking formations...

And that Andrew is a great reminder...

Andrew Neill: Arturo Vidal is a class act and an easy pick for my Ballon d'Or XI (defenders easier still as there are only 3 to choose from!) 

Did not see this one coming. Not that Arturo Vidal doesn't deserve it, more that the man himself even doubted a high finish.

"The prize is always for attackers. Players with more marketing win these things. If if was for achievements, the conditions would be different," the Bayern Munich midfielder said when he questioned the Ballon d'Or voting process.

And his achievements have been A*. Vidal helped Bayern win the domestic double and led Chile to the Copa America.

Image source, Getty Images

Sebastian McAlpine, London: Surely Jamie Vardy, no? Look back to that amazing Premier League run, and he returned to form from last season against Manchester City. 

I also think Mahrez fully deserves it for his epic year. Aguero is always unfortunate not to get it, year in, year out. KDB has been super as well. It is very open. And you can't forget the regulars too!

Image source, Getty Images

He might be numero uno on the list of the world's most expensive players, but Paul Pogba is only 14th - sorry, joint 14th - on the list of the world's best players.

A Serie A title, a Coppa Italia, a Euro 2016 final appearance and a series of underwhelming performances for Manchester United is not enough to lift him into the top 10.

So 16th-placed Robert Lewandowski received three points in the Ballon d'Or voting system. And we learn the next two players are tied on four points for 14th place...

Not lucky enough to be one of the 173 journalists given a Ballon d'Or vote? Me neither.

But let's all pretend we have. Glance over to the right of this page (if you're on desktop) or click the tab above (mobile and tablet users) to choose who you think should win.

Get voting!

Robert Lewandowski might have scored 46 goals for club and country, but it isn't enough to push him into the top half of our Ballon d'Or league. Harsh.

But it will still be a memorable year for the Bayern Munich frontman on both a personal and team level. 

His individual highlight probably came when he scored five goals in just nine minutes against Bundesliga rivals Wolfsburg, helping the club win the German league and cup double. Again.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

So there's been a few changes to the Ballon d'Or since last year's award which we should probably make you aware of.

Sports publication France Football started the original award back in 1956 and it was commonly known as the European Footballer of the Year award. 

Four years after Fifa introduced their own World Player of the Year award in 1991, the Ballon d'Or opened the award to those outside of Europe. 

The awards ran simultaneously from 1995 until 2010 before Fifa instigated a merger and it became the top prize in world football. Still with us? 

OK. That system continued until this year when new Fifa president Gianni Infantino decided to revert to the old system. 

So the Ballon d'Or and Fifa World Player of the Year are now separate. Fifa will hand out their gongs, which also include the Women's Player of the Year and Fifpro Team of the Year, in a different ceremony in Zurich on 9 January.

Olly Dobney: Pepe in with a shout? Great performances in Champions League and Euro 2016 finals... 

Michael Greenhalgh: Vardy all day long.

Falcon: Messi should win for sure this year. Been class, outshone CR7 in the Champions league, however CR7 won the euros so he will win.

Bit confused about what joint 17th means? You're not the only one.

Here's some clarity. Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Dimitri Payet finished joint 17th with one voting point each - so they are 17th, 18th and 19th in the big reveal.

But isn't it a 30-man shortlist? Correct.

Eleven players, whose identity we will find out at the end, did not receive a single vote.

Hurrah! We have another name. And it is one that is registered to a Premier League club.

When Dimitri Payet is elderly and grey he will look back on 2016 as his annus mirabilis- unless he tops the past 12 months in the twilight of his career.

The 29-year-old West Ham midfielder has dazzled in the Premier League, also starring for France on home turf in the European Championship finals.

Image source, Getty Images

A D Bryan: These ceremonies go in far too long. It's like pulling teeth. Just get on with it. 

I thought the players were being revealed every 10 minutes. We've now gone 15 minutes without an announcement. Panic.

Maybe the man with the microphone has inadvertently let slip that Jamie Vardy has won and all hell has broken loose. Or they are already having a quick break for drinks and nibbles.

Someone pass the salted peanuts.

Meg: I want Vardy or Mahrez to win Ballon d'Or 2016 because they won the league when they started the season at 5000 to 1!!  

Yannis: Suarez but it's gonna be Ronaldo or Messi, it'll be one of them till they retire. 

Fissuh Hailu: CR7 should win this one. Who else? European Champion for club and country?